Futbol '22-'23

[roger.haddad.]

Reds/Gunners game, wow. All sorts of weirdness by players and refs alike but still entertaining. Hate the thought of gifting City a way back in though, esp since our season was over before the world cup lol.

[surfer]

Reds/Gunners game, wow. All sorts of weirdness by players and refs alike but still entertaining. Hate the thought of gifting City a way back in though, esp since our season was over before the world cup lol.

Best half of football I've seen this season, including the WC Final. The intensity and willingness to attack was breathtaking. Congrats Roger, I was rooting hard for Liverpool. Yes I want City to win the title, sorry Lutz.

[Wombatz]

you've uttered the unutterable. i will have to alarm the moderators.

[roger.haddad.]

As much as I HATE the idea of Pep ever winning another trophy, I do sort of like the drama this sets up. Love the idea of the Gunners having to earn this thing.

Also, the City/Bayern game, yikes, I feel like Upamecano put his money on City. Shockingly bad, and yet the scoreline seemed to flatter City a bit. Bayern def made them work in the first half and then just imploded in the second. Or, possibly, City is actually just too fucking good this year, which would be my nightmare lol.

[surfer]

City looked unstoppable in the 2nd half, I hope they grind Arsenal into dust.

[Wombatz]

darren, are you ok? (is this hate of arsenal or love of pep or some sort of latter day prophecy where ultimate evil finally wins the grail and now the chosen ones can play amongst themselves forever?)

[surfer]

darren, are you ok? (is this hate of arsenal or love of pep or some sort of latter day prophecy where ultimate evil finally wins the grail and now the chosen ones can play amongst themselves forever?)

Its bitterness towards Arsenal. Given where our respective teams were last spring when we beat them 3-0, its too much for my stomach to handle if Arsenal win the title a year later. We had our chance back in 2016, but LFC had King Richard III on their side. If Spurs are never going to win the title because cash is king, then I sure as hell dont want Arsenal to be the one having the fairytale run in. I can abide a narrative where Citeh win because they are corrupt, that makes sense to me, but I cannot bear a story for the ages where Arsenal have "winner's dna" and "did things the right way" and are "beacons of all that is good in football" and "Granit Xhaka is redeemed as a footballer and human being" and "Piers Morgan gets some joy in life".

Fuck. All. That.

[surfer]

love of pep

Learn to love your foe's foe.

[roger.haddad.]

Wow great call on the cringe factor of Piers being a Gunner. This changes everything for me, I have a lot to think about now.

Milan and Madrid showing that CL swag today. IDK who paid the ref for the italian game but Napoli out some key guys for the return leg. I tuned in at the 70th minute [after the 2nd Madrid goal] and almost every call went Milan's way. Pretty disappointing.

[Wombatz]

well ok you can have the premier league for your boy, as long as he doesn't take the champions league (though i always suspect folks don't appreciate his true depths of evil if they a) haven't experienced him following the actually decent human being jupp heynckes at bayern or b) haven't had their son read them the relevant passages in ibra's memoir ... though i'm sure it's clear enough from his hypocritical if they lie to me i'll go stance toward city) ... but bayern were really the only hope before they stupidly switched coaches in mid-ride, with napoli fizzling out. real at least won't be fazed but their bouts of comedianship and extended downtimes will do them in anyway. not a lot of excitement left for me in any of the competitions really (but since gvardiol and olmo are rumored to leave rats along with nkunku and laimer and spurs will probably start next season with ryan mason still at the helm, it's better to get used to not a lot of excitement).

[roger.haddad.]

Loving the Pep hate, Wombatz. I'm with you, he's such a prick, I hate that he's so good at putting together teams that cost billions of dollars.

[surfer]

Yes I was remiss in not stating that my support for City is conditional and confined to the League. And only the last few matches of course! Rooting for them in the League is easy because it means practically nothing to Pep and Sheikh Mansour to win the League repeatedly. I hope they lose to Madrid in the semis of the CL, I can live with that. Realize, if they win the CL and finish second in the league, that's 100% acceptable to the Emirati overlords.

Please dont let this stain on humanity celebrate anything: https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/ ... 98?lang=en
I'm going to do everything in my power to prevent Fever Pitch 2 from becoming a thing

[surfer]

1h
Spurs have turned the music up loud to drown out the boos

[roger.haddad.]

AND...Gunners can't beat West Ham.

City win the treble, Haaland breaks every goalscoring record ever, god is in his heaven, all is right with the world.

[surfer]

AND...Gunners can't beat West Ham.

City win the treble, Haaland breaks every goalscoring record ever, god is in his heaven, all is right with the world.

Great finish by Jared Bowen, nice little player. Almost had that ridiculous bicycle kick earlier in the season

[roger.haddad.]

Well, only makes sense that Liverpool has to lose to Forest now lol.

[surfer]

Well, only makes sense that Liverpool has to lose to Forest now lol.

Liverpool look good in the highlight reels, I'll give them that. Didnt watch today but looked like they decimated a Leeds side that might stay up only because the other teams have a more difficult run in, although I wouldnt be surprised to see Everton escape and Leeds go down.

[Wombatz]

pointless article in the guardian labeling bayern a fading force ... they might be(come) that, but right now they look a comparatively easy fix, three or four shrewd buys should do it ... anyway which force except city is not fading? it's hard to see real (the team) scrape by them again, expecting no real (the adjective) contest i'm afraid ... so can we make city a super league unto itself? that would save all of football in one simple stroke, no?

[roger.haddad.]

All Bayern need to do is ship Upamecano and they'll be in much better shape. He singlehandedly decimated their chances over this tie.

As much as I love the idea of a Milan/Madrid final, we will just have to see. With Napoli out I have to root for Milan first and "anyone but City" second, but since there is no god or any cosmic justice in this world, I have a feeling my fears will materialize. I love the "Redemption in Istanbul" arc for Milan though.

For all the time I spend shitting on City, they simply look unbeatable. I can't imagine aspiring to put a team together that does anything differently. Such a well-oiled (no pun intended) machine.

[surfer]

pointless article in the guardian labeling bayern a fading force ... they might be(come) that, but right now they look a comparatively easy fix, three or four shrewd buys should do it ... anyway which force except city is not fading? it's hard to see real (the team) scrape by them again, expecting no real (the adjective) contest i'm afraid ... so can we make city a super league unto itself? that would save all of football in one simple stroke, no?

Very Chelsea-esque performance, lots of xG, no G. They should sign Lewangoalski from Barca, I hear he's good. Lot of movement darty wide forwards, no one in the box to poach a goal or two. I wonder if they would go for Kane or if he's a bit too calcified for their tastes.

Quarters were pretty dull but the semis could be a minor classic. I see no reason why Madrid couldnt do City, who are obviously favorites but no wildly so. The Milan Derby, slight edge to Milan because of their defense, Inter are a bit all over the place right now. Dzeko v Giroud and Bezema v Haaland for the right to go to the finals! Old Skool Strikers FTW

Sevilla are a fun watch. Not a great team but loads of fun watching Spurs C-listers Lamela and Bryan Gil tear it up. Rakitic should still be playing for the national team, he looked great today, boy can he strike a volley! De Gea - oh my word.